The Buffel's Head Duck (Anas bucephala) Possibly 1731 - 1743

Mark Catesby made this print of "The Buffel's Head Duck" sometime between 1722 and 1749 using etching and engraving techniques. Catesby was an English naturalist who traveled to the American colonies to document the local flora and fauna. Catesby’s work exists within a complicated history of colonial exploration and scientific discovery. While his detailed illustrations contributed to the burgeoning field of natural history, they also reflect the Western gaze upon new environments. Catesby aimed to present nature in its truest form, yet the act of observing and classifying nature is far from neutral. Catesby’s depictions of the American landscape contributed to a narrative of colonial expansion and resource extraction. What does it mean to see this duck, Buffel’s Head, through Catesby’s eyes? How does the context of colonialism shape our understanding of this image and the natural world it represents?